Because of You
by consultingbluescarf
Summary: TIVA. Tony and Ziva become more than just partners. Humor and mature themes for older folks.
1. The Rules of Conduct in an Elevator

Ziva looked up from her desk at Tony DiNozzo. It was early Sunday morning and Gibbs had woken them up to investigate the death of a Petty Officer found dead on a boat deck. Ducky was performing the autopsy and Abby was sitting cross-legged on McGee's desk wearing a skirt. Ziva could see that DiNozzo was trying extremely hard not to jump up and cram his head up there for a look. She smirked.

Somehow Tony saw. "What, Ziva?" he challenged her through a mouthful of chocolate donut.

"I am amused by your attempts at restraining yourself from snatching the front row seat to Abby's peep toe."

"I believe the word is _show,_ Ziva. Peep _show._" Abby said, grinning widely. "See something you like, McGee?"

"Yeah, McGeek, see something you like?" Tony taunted.

Ziva caught sight of Gibbs walking up behind Tony, but he obviously had no idea. He continued: "Here's a little lesson about the birds and the bees, Probie-wan-Kenobi. When a man becomes _happy_ with what he sees, a little something happens down below—"

He was cut short by a smack to the back of his head by none other than Gibbs. "Keep it in your pants, DiNozzo," he quipped, walking by with his usual coffee.

"Sorry, Boss," Tony muttered.

"Don't apologize, it's a—"

"Sign of weakness!" Abby shouted excitedly. Gibbs smiled slightly.

McGee spoke up. "Uh, Petty Officer Pamela Tills was thirty-four and married to an accountant named Ian Caddy. They were going through a nasty divorce and they failed to sign a prenup. She was due to get $80,000 of the $100,000 they had together."

"So he had motive," Ziva said. "Criminal history?"

"One DUI in November of 2000," McGee answered.

"Hardcore," Tony sniped.

"Clever, Tony." Ziva shot back.

"Hey!" Gibbs barked. "Save it! I'm going down to Autopsy. Don't blow up the place."

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"Whaddya got, Duck?" Gibbs asked the second the doors swished open.

"Ah, Jethro, right on time." Ducky exclaimed. "Our Petty Officer died of a single gunshot wound right to the heart. Through the right ventricle, to be exact. There was no exit wound."

"There was something solid behind her," Gibbs finished.

"Precisely. Which means she could have been lying down sleeping, or she had been backed against a wall. She was shot at close range, almost as if the gun was pressed right against her skin."

"Why would she allow someone to put the gun right over her heart?"

"Like I said, Jethro, she could have been asleep, unconscious…maybe drugged. She died from blood loss, but there was no blood on the boat deck. She'd obviously been moved."

"Any fingerprints? Anything with DNA?" Gibbs pressed.

"Yes, one unidentified partial handprint on her upper right arm. Someone was holding her tightly before she died; there's a nasty contusion there. There is blood on her knuckles, not her own." Ducky answered.

"She was fighting her attacker." It wasn't a question.

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Gibbs strode into the room and immediately threw the keys to Ziva.

"Tony, Ziva, you're with me. We're going to Tills' house. McGee, check with Abby and help her if she needs it. Make yourself useful."

"She's right here—" McGee started. "Hey, where did she go?"

Gibbs grinned, a rare occurrence. "The lab, McGee, the lab!" he shouted over his shoulder as they headed to the elevator.

"Hey Boss, what did Ducky find?" Tony asked once they were inside the elevator. Gibbs downed his coffee before answering. "Our Petty Officer died from blood loss from a direct shot to the heart; close range. Significant bruising on her upper right arm, Ducky found a partial handprint there. Found foreign blood on her knuckles; she was fighting her attacker. Sent both to Abby along with tissue samples."

"How close?" Tony asked. Gibbs slowly turned around and pressed his gun against Tony's chest. "Gun to flesh," he answered. He pulled the trigger and Tony hit the floor. It clicked.

"It was _empty,_ Tony!" Ziva exclaimed, choking back laughter.

"Shut up."

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Gibbs banged on the front door. "Federal agents!" There was no answer. He tried the door. Locked.

"Ziva, around back. DiNozzo, check the windows."

"On it, Boss," Tony replied. Ziva left soundlessly. Gibbs kicked the door open. No one was there. No sound. "Clear!" he called.

Ziva picked the lock on the back door and slipped in. There was blood everywhere—splattered on the walls, soaked in the couch, dripping off the table. The lampshade was a deep shade of ruby and the floor squished when she walked. "Gibbs!" she shouted. "Boston, we have a problem."

Tony walked in. "I believe the phrase is 'Houston, we have a problem.'"

"Thanks, Tony," she said sarcastically.

"Happy to do it," he replied.

Both looked up at the sound of squelching boots. Gibbs was staring at the carpet.

"I don't think she was the only one killed here," Ziva stated.

"Ducky, we need you here," Gibbs said.

"Who is he talking—" Tony started. Gibbs already had his phone to his ear. "_Damn,_ he's fast at that,"

Gibbs clapped the phone shut. "Hey! What are you two doing, standing around yakking it up? Photographs, fingerprints, anything!"

"Sorry, Boss,"

"DiNozzo! What do I always say?"

_Smack._

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The team was silent as they drove back to NCIS headquarters.

"Gibbs, Director Shepard wants you in MTAC," McGee informed him. Gibbs nodded and turned up the stairs.

"Wow, Tony, what'd you do, kill someone?" McGee asked, seeing Tony.

"He fell on the ground." Ziva supplied. "More than one person was killed in Tills' home and the whole back room was soaked in blood. The carpet literally squished when I walked in."

McGee shuddered. "Squeamish, McGoo?" Tony taunted. He dragged his hand over his once-green shirt and placed a handprint McGee's computer screen. "Hey!" McGee protested.

"Hi guys!" Abby flounced in. Tony gaped. "New tattoo, Abs?" She had a tiny little skull & crossbones on her right eyelid. Ziva hurried up to her and pushed her lid down to examine it. "Wow, very precise," she complimented.

"May I open my eye now?" Abby asked.

"Oh, yes." Ziva said and took her hand away. "When did you have it…ah, added? I don't recall it being here this morning."

"Yeah, I had it done after you three left. McGee took care of the computer work on the Petty Officer's laptop."

"Kate had a tattoo," Tony grumbled. "I _still_ don't know where it was."

"I dooooooooooooo!" Abby sang.

Ziva smiled. "Even _I_ do, Tony."

Tony gaped. "How does _she_ know?! Kate was already dead by the time she came!"

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The elevator dinged and Ziva stepped in. She was headed down to Autopsy per Gibbs' request. She was startled when the elevator dinged again and Tony entered.

"Ziva," he said by way of greeting.

She nodded.

It was an uncomfortable silence.

All of a sudden the elevator jerked and Ziva was thrown against Tony. He caught her in his arms.

He cleared his throat.

"Thank you," she said.

"No problem," Tony answered. He didn't let go, and she made a move to right herself. He held her tighter. "Wha—" she started but was silenced by an unexpected kiss from Tony. At first she stiffened but then she relaxed and tentatively put her arms around his waist.

They didn't hear the elevator ding and when the doors opened, they noticed that they'd stopped moving. Tony broke away and looked to his left. His eyes widened.

"What are you DOING?" Gibbs roared.

Ziva swallowed. She straightened up and turned around. "The elevator jerked, I fell into Tony, he caught me. End of book."

Tony hid a smile. "WHAT are you smiling at, DiNozzo?" Gibbs demanded.

"Ahem…nothing, Boss. Nothing at all."

Ziva was behind Gibbs, laughing silently. Tony glared.

The doors to Autopsy whispered open. "What's the commotion?" Ducky asked.

Tony opened his mouth to explain, but Gibbs smacked him. "One word, DiNozzo, and I will have both of your tongues cut out."

Ziva saw Tony relax. She realized she'd been clenching her fists. There were little half-moons of blood on her palms.

She looked up at Tony. She could hear Gibbs storming into Autopsy behind her. "Abby's results came back but you'll need to check with her anyway…" Ducky's voice floated farther into the room until it became unintelligible.

Ziva gave Tony a withering look and turned around. She flounced into Autopsy, but ran her fingers through her hair and let her hand come to rest on her hip.

Tony had to cross his feet to keep from running after her and sweeping her up into his arms.


	2. Not Quite an Interrogation Room

**To all my readers & reviewers: hope you liked the first chapter. Here's the second one. Chapter 3 on the way soon(:**

**CHAPTER 2**

Ziva paced an empty interrogation room, muttering to herself.

"Why must I run from this new thing?" she asked herself.

Ziva #2 answered her. "Because you are a coward."

"I am not a coward. I am a Mossad liaison officer and I am not intimidated by my partner's pathetic actions."

"Oh, but you are," Ziva #2 taunted her. "And you know it."

"I am NOT!" Ziva shouted.

"Not what?" a voice boomed from all around her. She jumped and stared at the mirrored wall. "Who's there?" she asked.

Silence.

The door opened. "It's me," Tony said. He shut the door.

Ziva backed up. "What do you want, Agent DiNozzo?"

"I want to talk to you," he said. "That's all."

"So talk," she said. "I'm listening."

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for what happened in the elevator. I was out of line and I shouldn't have done it. I apologize and I hope this doesn't change things between us."

Ziva had been staring at her feet but forced herself to look up. She stared into his blue-green eyes and felt all her defenses inside melt away. Her face remained the same steely gaze as she stared at him. "I—it's all right. You are forgiven," she said quietly.

Tony nodded and turned. The door had almost shut behind him when Ziva grabbed his wrist and yanked him back inside. She kicked the door shut.

She was four inches away from his face when she whispered, "did you come down here alone?"

"Yes," Tony gasped. "What are you d—"

The wind was knocked out of him when Ziva shoved him onto the table. She climbed on top of him and grinned at him. "I know of seventeen different ways to kill you right now. Speak of this and I guarantee you that you'll never speak again."

Ziva freed his hands and Tony began to unbutton her shirt. She kissed him fiercely while she took out her knife. She laid it against his cheek and smiled widely and drew it down, leaving a hair-thin line of blood. Tony gasped but shut up when she broke the kiss to lick the leaking blood.

"Hey Tony," she whispered.

"Mmm?" he sighed back.

"How are we going to explain this mysterious laceration on your cheek to Gibbs?"

Tony grinned and pulled her face back to his. He kissed her feverishly while he threw her shirt off in the corner. Her bra slipped down the edge of the table. He nuzzled her chest and gave special attention to the little men who were standing at attention. Ziva moaned and tore off his pants. She hooked her finger inside his boxers and pulled them down, trailing her nails around the soldier between his legs.

He found her lacy undergarments and slowly pulled them down. He didn't get a chance to do anything because Ziva had control of him as she took a tighter hold and placed it between her soft lips. He kissed her gently as he pushed inside her. She trembled and groaned while he flipped on top of her. He watched her face as he bagan to go faster and faster. Her mouth parted and her eyes were closed. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the edges of the table. Tony could tell she was nearing her climax and he increased his pace until her back arched violently and she let out a little shriek.

He finished seconds after she did. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this," he said to her.

"I can bet I've been waiting longer," Ziva challenged, a smile on her lips.

"Really?" Tony asked. "I highly doubt that."

"I can prove it to you. I pulled all the bolts from your chair at your desk, so the next time you sit down, the chair will collapse. That's how much I love you."

"Amateur!" Tony scoffed. "I put superglue on the inside of your desk drawers. They are permanantly sealed shut."

Ziva narrowed her eyes. "Ohhh, you're going to pay for that," she told him and grinned.

"I think I may be okay with that," Tony consented. "Bring it on, woman!"

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"I think Gibbs wants us," Tony said.

"I think he can survive without us for a little longer," Ziva said, pulling herself out from under him and beginning to dress.

Tony pulled on his shirt.

"Did you turn that microphone off in the room behind the mirror?" Ziva asked.

Tony froze.

"Oops."


	3. That's What Special Agents Do

Ziva walked quickly back to her desk. She looked impeccable, but Tony looked slightly more disheveled. His hair was sticking up and his clothes were on loosely. Plus, he had an inexplicable thin cut running the length of his cheek.

Ziva sat down and busied herself with her paperwork. Tony mirrored her but had to adjust himself first. He had dressed hurriedly.

McGee had been watching them since they came in. "Guys, what's going on?"

"Nothing at all," Tony said quickly.

"Nothing. All is well." Ziva said at the same time.

McGee opened his mouth to say something else when Abby skipped in. She had black skinny jeans on with a black tulle tutu over them.

"Abby…where is your shirt…?" McGee asked, staring openly at her black lace bra.

"Oh! That," she said with a wave of her hand. "I'm joining a nudist colony with the nuns that I bowl with and I'm practicing. I'm 'acclimating' myself to being exposed in front of random people. Not that you guys are random people!" she exclaimed, flustered. "Just, the _other_ people walking around. Well, I've seen them all before but I haven't gotten to know them personally and so to me, they are random people. Well, technically, _strangers_—"

"Wrap it up, Abs." Gibbs said as he walked in, sipping his coffee. When he lowered the cup, he almost choked, a very un-Gibbs-like reaction. "Abby…where is your shirt?" he said, mimicking McGee's question asked just minutes earlier.

"I just explained!" she said adamantly. "Didn't you hear that?"

"I thought you were talking about something else," he said.

"Like wh—" she stopped suddenly. Ziva and Tony, who were trying to make themselves as invisible as possible, were startled by the sudden silence. Tony looked up and the second he did, he wished he hadn't.

Abby nearly had a heart attack. "Tony! What happened to you!" she shrieked. "Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god!"

"It's not a big deal, Abs. I slipped and fell wh—"

She didn't answer as she darted downstairs. Five minutes later she was back, breathing hard. She had three little tape bandages stuck to her finger. She stuck them on his cut, pulling the edges together. She put both her hands on either side of his face and kissed the cut three times, once on each bandage.

"Feel better?" she panted.

"…much," Tony said, shocked. "…I…have to get back to work now. Thank you…"

Ziva was silently laughing mercilessly behind Abby's back. Gibbs was just staring expressionlessly. And McGee, well, McGee had an extremely confused look on his face.

"Okay, guys, seriously, you two disappear for twenty minutes and then come back, Tony all messed up and Ziva looking like she dressed in a hurry. There's a long cut down Tony's cheek and both of you are acting suspiciously like you did something wrong." McGee blurted.

Tony didn't dare look at Gibbs' face. He kept his eyes on the Petty Officer's credit card bills in front of him. Ziva was leaning back in her chair with her feet kicked up in the air on the desk, staring over Tony's head.

God, she was sexy.

Abby gasped. "No, you DIDN'T!"

"Oh, I'm pretty sure they did." There was only one mouth that tone of voice could come from. And it was pretty damn scary.

"DiNozzo, David. Elevator, NOW."

Ziva got up first and walked ahead of Tony. Gibbs followed them silently.

Once the elevator's power shut off, it was quiet as a tomb in there. Gibbs sipped his coffee, his third of the day.

"Wow, Boss, three cups in one—"

"Shut it, DiNozzo," he snapped. "Don't _talk_ unless _I_ talk to _you._" He turned to Ziva.

"Officer David, we'll start with you. DiNozzo, you are not here. If you speak, if you so much as BREATHE too loudly, I will have your head downstairs in my basement, nailed to the front of my boat.

"Officer David, what happened?" he said.

Tony noticed Ziva relaxed a little. She'd been expecting a tongue lashing spoken in extreme volumes.

"I was pacing in an empty interrogation room, thinking and trying to straighten my thoughts out. Tony came in and apologized for his rude and uncalled for behavior earlier this morning. He was about to leave and I stopped him." She paused and looked at a spot just above Gibbs' left ear.

"And?" he pressed.

Tony opened his mouth and Gibbs pulled out his gun and pointed it at his head. Tony squeaked and shut his mouth.

"We had some relations," she said. Gibbs stared. "Fornications," she said, trying to clarify without embarrassing the hell out of all three of them. Gibbs raised an eyebrow. She sighed in defeat. "Sex." She said.

Outside the elevator, McGee and Abby looked up at the elevator. It sounded like Gibbs was shouting at the top of his lungs.

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT YOU DO IN PRIVATE BUT YOU WILL _NOT,_ I REPEAT, WILL _NOT,_ SCREW AROUND WHEN YOU ARE AT WORK! _**ARE WE CLEAR**_?" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Y-yes, Boss," Tony stammered.

"Crystal clear, _sir!_" Ziva said sharply.

"Good," Gibbs said. He flipped the switch and the elevator hummed back to life. The doors _whooshed_ open. He stormed out but the pair was still inside the doors.

Abby's mouth was open. McGee's face was red for suppressing laughter.

Ziva knew, in the pit of her stomach, that her career here at NCIS was over. By the end of the week, she'd be on a plane back to Mossad.

She looked at Tony, who was staring at her too. There was no doubt they were thinking the same thing. So they did the only thing they could do.

Tony grabbed her arm and yanked her to him. She didn't wait for Tony, she slammed the door-close button and pressed her lips fiercely to his. She could feel him smiling, but she could also feel his tears against her cheeks.


	4. Can You Keep a Secret?

**Hey all my readers! Thank you for being so patient with me. And to those of you who liked the original chapter 2, I'll put it back up, but the reason I edited it was because I have a younger sister and I didn't want her to read it. It might have been a little too much for her.**

**But it looks like she's not interested in my ramblings, so after I update, I'll restore the original chapter 2 that y'all liked so much ;)**

**Without further ado, here's the fourth chapter(: enjoy!**

That night, Ziva was at her house, sitting on her bed with a hot cup of tea in her hand. She hadn't taken a single drink. There were too many things running through her head.

The hours ticked on.

11:09. Her eyelids were closing.

12:00 am. She was asleep, the cold cup of tea on her bedside table.

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Tony fully expected the desk across from him to be empty. But the elevator dinged, and Ziva David walked in, right on time. She hadn't even sat down when Gibbs told her that Director Shephard wanted to see her in her office.

Ziva went with a heavy heart. She knew she wasn't coming back.

_For all the things I thought I'd be kicked out for, this was not one of them._

But she realized she wasn't sorry. At least she was kicked out for doing something she wanted to do, and not snapping an important ambassador's neck from Kenya because he insulted her necklace, and therefore, her religion.

Not that she ever did that.

Ziva reached the door and knocked loudly. "Come in," came the reply.

Ziva pushed the door open and entered. She stood in front of the desk, awaiting the director's attention. Finally, the woman behind the desk looked up.

"Officer David," she started. Ziva held her breath. She knew what was coming next. "You are going to stay here at NCIS."

Ziva opened one eye. _What? Was she dreaming?_ She opened the other one. No, she was pretty sure she was awake. She tried to hide a grin but was unsuccessful. "Thank you, Director Shephard."

"Please, call me Jenny," the redhead smiled. "Ziva, I have been privately rooting for you and Tony. I am not going to kick you out, but you must promise me that this goes no further than this office. As far as anyone else knows, I am completely unaware of this situation.

Ziva had to restrain herself from throwing herself at the director and hugging her. "Thank you so much," she whispered and backed out.

She sprinted down the stairs and threw herself at Tony. "I'm not leaving!" she whispered in his ear. Tony grinned and squeezed her tightly.

Ziva opened her eyes and shoved him away. He looked at her with a confused look and she said, "Jenny said I was not to let this go any further than McGee, Abby, Gibbs, and, of course, Jenny."

"Very good, Officer David," he said in an English accent. Ziva chuckled.

"Hey! Back to work!" Gibbs exclaimed. He'd materialized out of thin air.

Tony jumped.

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"Boss, where are we going?" Tony asked.

"We are going to arrest Tills' husband. Do you even remember the case, DiNozzo?" Gibbs looked sideways at him, but the intensity of the glare was not lost. Tony swallowed. "O-of course I do, Boss." He scoffed. "Why wouldn't I?" He realized what he'd said. "Don't answer that," he said quickly. Gibbs smiled and hit the brakes. Tony jerked forward. "Oh, don't forget your seatbelt, DiNozzo." Gibbs said. Tony glared at his back and Ziva laughed behind him. "Shut up, David," he snapped. Ziva looked at him quizzically. Tony fought to keep a straight face and failed.

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The man who was supposedly Tills' husband fidgeted nervously in the interrogation room. Tony and Ziva were behind the glass, and they were the _only _ones behind the glass. "There's something about interrogation rooms that makes me realize how sexy you are," Tony said to Ziva. She elbowed him. "Ow!" he protested. "Hey, Ziva…isn't that your necklace?" He pointed to the corner of the room. Sure enough, a gold glint was reflected off the lights.

Ziva gasped and her hand flew to her neck. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "How did it—why didn't I—"

"Th-this isn't the room that we—" Tony was cut off when the door flew open and Gibbs stormed into the room. He yanked out a chair opposite the scumbag and began to pepper him with questions. Twenty minutes into it, Gibbs leaned back and caught a glimpse of the Star of David necklace. He stood up slowly and picked it up. He turned to the glass and pressed it against the glass. Ziva flinched. "Uhh…" she stammered. Gibbs dropped it in his pocket.

Tony felt something snaking around his waist. Ziva's arm. It pulled him closer to her. She leaned against him for support and Tony thought she was crying.

She was laughing so hard tears were coming out of her eyes. Tony was shocked but her laugh was infectious. He kissed her and this time, he felt her tears, but they weren't sad.

Abby threw open the door. "Hi guys—" she stopped. "Oh, sorry, I-I'll come back…"

"No!" Ziva exclaimed. "You can stay. We're sorry. We thought we were alone."

Abby grinned. "You're never alone here." She said, turning around and pulling up her shirt. Tattooed low on her back were a pair of eyes.

"Creepy," Tony commented.

"Aww, Tony, thank you!" Abby said. She ran and hugged him. Ziva laughed.

"David, here," Gibbs had once again, shown up silently. He threw the chain at her. "I believe that this is yours. I don't want to see it anywhere but your neck."

"Gibbs, guess what?" Abby said. "He's guilty! I found his prints on the gun that was used to kill our victim and his hair has traces of her blood in it. Oh, and he has no alibi."

"Yeah, well, he seems to think he's innocent." Gibbs told her.

Abby dropped the file and ran out the door. Seconds later she was in the interrogation room with the scumbag. She stood in front of him, said a couple of things, and walked back out. "He's guilty," she sang as she collected her files and skipped back down to the lab. Gibbs was dumbfounded, quite an interesting sight.

Tony choked on his own tongue when he saw the man look under his chair and pull out a black bra.

"We have to be more careful," Ziva said.

"You think?" Gibbs smacked Tony on the back of the head.


End file.
